NPF legislator Achumbemo Kikon on Friday inspected the ongoing construction of the Nagaland foothill road under Baghty division and expressed satisfaction with the current pace of work.
It may be recalled that the MLA while launching the project, which is one of the major road initiatives in the area on February 22, had emphasized on the importance of completing the widening portion and making the road pliable by the end of May.
Addressing media at the site, Achumbemo strongly urged upon contractors to deploy more machinery to speed up the work, especially with the monsoon season expected to begin by the first week of June.
He also pointed out that the work order had been issued in November last year and that four months have already been lost since then and that any further delay would be detrimental to the timely completion of the project.
He also highlighted that the road stretch includes five bridges and urged contractors to strictly follow departmental specifications by using only high-quality materials. He cautioned that substandard work could lead to bridge collapses and rendering the road unusable.
Addressing concerns over external interference, Achumbemo made it clear that he would not tolerate any individual or organization attempting to hamper the progress of the road.
Achumbemo said that as an elected representative it was his responsibility to bring development to his people, who have long been deprived of it. He added that Bhandari is a backward constituency with many developmental gaps and thus completion of the road was even more critical.
He also pointed out the ongoing border issues and stressed that once the foothill road is complete, the Nagas will no longer have to rely on Assam roads but can instead use this route.
Achumbemo expressed gratitude to the public of the constituency for their sacrifices, such as in giving up farms and plantations for the sake of development. He also thanked the Lower Range Public Organisation and the Yamhon Area Public Organisation for closely monitoring the progress of the work.
He also called on the concerned department to take immediate steps to shift high-tension electrical poles and wires that are obstructing the construction. He noted that workers had to skip certain areas due to the electrical posts, disturbing the workflow.
Yamhon Area Public Organisation and the Lower Range Public Organisation have extended their full support to the ongoing foothill road construction, emphasizing its importance for the region.
Their leaders highlighted that some villages under the 40 Bhandari Assembly Constituency still lack direct road connectivity and are forced to rely on Assam roads to reach neighbouring villages.The organisations assured that they will closely monitor the progress of the project and expressed hope for its early completion.